Otto f



l (No Model.)

0. I. MULHAUPT.

AXLE LUBRIGATOR.

No. 400,784'. Patented Apr. 2, 1889..

Nirnn STATES ATnNr rrrcn.

OTTO F. MULHAUPT, OF SI-IREVEPORT, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR TO J. HENRY SHEPHERD, OF SAME PLACE.

AXLE-LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,784, dated .April 2,' 1889.

Application filed January 24, 1889. Serial No. 297,371. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, OTTO F. MULHAUPT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Shreveport, in the parish of Caddo and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Axle-Lubricators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to malte and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

M y invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in axle-lubricators.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple, and effective means whereby the axle box and spindle can be kept constantly lubricated without necessitating the removal of the wheel from the axle to apply the lubricant thereto; and my invention consists in the special construction of the axlespindle, whereby it is provided with a longitudinal groove in its front or leading side, the lower portion of which is undercut to provide an oil-containing channel, said recess being connected by openings with the oil-passage located in the spindle, as will be hereinafterfully set forth.

Prior to my invention it has been proposed to provide spindles of axles with a bore or passage which connected with a reservoir or chamber, the bore or passage communicating through an opening or openings with the exterior of the spindle or with one or more grooves formed therein. This construction, while operating effectively to a certain extent, in practice has been found to be faulty, inasmuch as the grooves or perforations become clogged by gummy oil scraped from the interior of the axle-box, thus arresting the flow of oil. these openings to a minimum to avoid weakening the axle and to so shape and position the groove as to avoid liability of clogging. The objections incident to such a construction are obviated by the construction to be hereinafter set forth, and which is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- In practice it is desired both to reduce f Figure l is a side view, partly in section, of an axle-lubricator constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the line x @c of Fig. l,said view being on a larger scale than is Fig. 1.

A refers to the axle, upon which the spindle B is formed. The axle near the inner end of the spindle is provided with a screw-threaded recess for the reception of a cup or oil-chamber of any preferred construction, which can be attached to the axle direct or to a clip embracing said axle. The cup shown in the aecom panying drawings is provided with a ballvalve, which will rest upon its seat and prevent the flow of oil when the vehicle is at rest, the jar of the vehicle when in motion being sufficient to displace the valve and permit the oil to iiow from the cup. The spindle is provided longitudinally with a bore, C, which provides a hollow spindle, and near the collar b, at the end of the spindle, this bore inclines upwardly and meets the opening in the oilcup. The frontof the spindle is provided with a longitudinal groove, D, communicating with the central bore, O, through small openings e, the lower edge of which is undercut to provide a channel, d. The upper and lower walls, d? and d', of the recess D are shaped to meet the surface of the spindle with a gradual curve, as shown, thereby avoiding liability of scraping gummy or dirtyoil from the inner surface of the axle-box.

e refers to perforations which extend from the vertical wall of the groove to the central bore of the axle, and through these perforations the oil is fed to the longitudinal groove, and the surplus will collect in the channel d, and as said channel overflows the major portion of the surface of the spindle will be evenly lubricated. As shown, the recess D terminates adjacent to the ends of the spindle, so that the oil will not work out of the axle-box E. The end of the bore of the spindle is closed by a screw-plug, c, and when it is desired to clean the bore and perfor-ations it can be readily accomplished by inserting a brush composed of bristles and held in place by wires twisted upon each other. The bristles will pass through the perforations to clean them.

IOO

In the aeeoinpanyin g drawin l have shown the groove provided with four perforations, and in practice the number will be reduced as far as possible. Itis only necessary to provide a single perforation, as the oil flowing therefrom 'will be dropped into the undercut channel and be distributed along the spindle.

My invention is also applicable to a spiiullc not bored throughout its entire length, as the bore may be oblique from the axle to the end ol the groove and a single perforatum provided connecting with said bore.

My invention can be applied to wooden axles having wear plates or skeins upon the spindles, as well as To metal spirulles` .Having thus described inyinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by lietters 'latent, is-

l. In an axle-lulnicator, a spindle provided with a longitudinal groove the upper and i lower walls of which meet the surface of the l spindle with a gradual curve, the lower portion olf said groove being undercut io provide a-n oil-containing channel, said groove being connected by one or more perilorations with an oil-chamber, substantiall)v as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an axle-luliiricator for carriages or wagons, the combination oli' a hollow spindle, an oil cup or chamber connected therewith, a longitudinal groove in the front or leading side of the spindle, the lower edge ot said groove being undercut to provide an oil-containing channel, and openings connecting the groove with the bore oi? the spindle, whereby the lubricant is distributed over the major portion of the surface ol the spindle and axlebox, substantially as shown.

3. In. an axledubriealor l'or carriages and wagons, a spindle bored longitudinally to pro- Vvide an oil-elial'nber, C, a longitudinal groove, l), in the Vlj'ront side olf the spindle, and perforations c, connecting said groove with the oilchamber, thelongitudi nal groove being undereut at its lower portion to provide an oilchannel, the exterior edges of said groove being' curved, substantially as shown.

lu testimony whereof ,l alix 1in/'signature in presence et two witnesses.

W'iincesses:

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